Machine for the determination of protrombin time and p.t.t.

ABSTRACT

Reactive material is placed in a cup which communicates wtih another cup through a restricted orifice, plasma is placed in the second cup, and the reactive material and the plasma are moved from cup to cup by a pump until coagulation of the plasma takes place. Means are then provided for stopping the mixture of the reactive material and plasma, and other means are provided for measuring the time required for coagulation.

United States Patent 1m Moreno l June 17, 1975 l l MACHlNE FUR Till. DETERMINATION OF PROTROMBIN TIME AND l'.T.T.

[76] Inventor: Enrique Moreno. (i.P,(). Box 3088,

SanJuan. P.R. 00936 [22] Filed: Nov. I6. 1973 [2|] Appl. No: 4l6,429

[52l U.S. Cl 23/230 B: 73/h4.|; l28/2 (i l5l| InLCl. v(10in ll/tl4;(it)ln 33/lfi I58} Field of Search 23/23!) H; 73/641; l28/2 (i I56] References (filed UNITFJ) S'l A'l'liS PA'lliNl'S 3,486,859 lZ/Wh) (ireiner ct all 23/230 l3 llOV Primary l:'.t'umim'r- Robert M. Reese Armmey, Agt'nl. or I-irm-Scrivencr. Parker. Scrivener & Clarke I57] ABSTRACT Reactive material is placed in a cup which communicates wtih another cup through a restricted orifice, plasma is placed in the second cup. and the reactive material and the plasma are moved from cup to cup by a pump until coagulation of the plasma takes place Means are then provided for stopping the mixture of the reactive material and plasma, and other means are provided for measuring the time required for coagula tion.

I Claim. 2 Drawing Figures TIMER C PATENTEIJJLIN 1 7 ms U i... mmEC.

u mH MACHINE FOR THE DETERMINATION OF PROTROMBIN TIME AND P.T.T.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is necessary to determine the time of coagulation of plasma, and the machine and circuitry provided by this invention are a new and improved way of accomplishing this.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a circuit and schematic drawing of the machine provided by the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the rotatable platform shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The machine provided by the invention and disclosed in the drawings has the following parts:

A is a motor driven pump operating a piston.

B is a rotatable platform having in its upper surface a number of pairs of cups, the cups 2.4 of each pair communicating through a restricted orifice at 6 their lower parts.

C is a timer which indicates time in seconds.

D is a relay which operates to disconnect the system when the mercury in the two parts of circuit breaker E come in contact with each other.

E is a circuit breaker having the purpose of stopping the machine.

F is an electromagnet which exerts pressure on the cup in which the reactive material and the plasma are mixed in order to produce coagulation.

G is a microswitch which is actuated by mechanical contact with the electromagnet F.

H is a manual switch which is operable to connect the means which add reactive material or plasma to a cup.

Operation Reactive material is placed into one of the two cups in the rotatable member B for the purpose of making the test. Incubation is performed for several minutes until the temperature is raised to 37C, which is essential for carrying out the test.

When ready and incubated and while the plasma is at the same temperature, the plasma is added to the second cup with an electric pipette (manual and ordinary pipettes may be used) by means of the manual circuit breaker H.

After the pump, the electromagnet and the timer start the electromagnet F exerts pressure on the cup in order to seal it hermetically. The pump A moves the mixture from cup to cup and reversely with its upward and downward stroke until coagulation takes place. When this is formed the coagulation cannot pass into the other because it obstructs the small orifice that connects the two cups, forcing the mercury in circuit breaker E from point number 4 to point number 3, making the contact and closing the circuit of the relay D which. upon actuation, opens the circuit of the motor pump and electromagnet and timer, the machine being stopped instantaneously.

If the coagulation is formed in the other cup it would not be able to pass into the first cup because it obstructs in the same manner the orifice which joins the two. In this case, the pump would draw the mercury from point 5 to point 7, closing the circuit and actuating likewise the relay which opens the connection of the motor pump, electromagnet and timer and stops the machine, giving the time of coagulation.

The rotary platform B may be provided with any desired number of cups. Once used, one is moved manually to the following. The relay returns into its normal position when the mercury level is reestablished and is effected in fractions of seconds.

I claim:

1. A machine for determining Protrombin time, comprising a rotatable member, at least one pair of adjacent cup-like receptacles formed in the rotatable member, restricted orifice means providing communication between the bottom parts of the two cup-like members, means for sealing the upper end of one of the cup-like members after a reactive material and plasma have been placed therein, means for inducing movement of the plasma and reactive material from cup to cup until coagulation takes place, means for stopping the induced cup-to-cup movement, and means for measuring the time required for coagulation. 

1. A MACHINE FOR DETERMINING PROTROMBIN TIME, COMPRISING A ROTATABLE MEMBER, AT A LEAST ONE PAIR OF ADJACENT CUP-LIIKE RECEPTACLES FORMED IN THE ROTATABLE MEMBER, RESTRICTED ORIFICE MEANS PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE BOTTOM PARTS OF THE TWO CUP-LIKE MEMBERS, MEANS FOR SEALING THE UPPER END OF ONE OF THE CUP-LIKE MEMBERS AFTER A REACTIVE MATERIAL AND PLASMA HAVE BEEN PLACED THEREIN, MEANS FOR INDUCING MOVEMENT OF THE PLASMA AND REACTIVE MATERIAL FROM CUP TO CUP UNTIL COAGULATION TAKES PLACE, MEANS FOR STOPPINT THE INDUCED CUPTO-CUP MOVEMENT, AND MEANS FOR MEASURING THE TIME REQUIRED FOR COAGULATION. 